Canine herpes virus alpha transinducing factor nucleic acid molecules

Abstract

The present invention includes novel recombinant canine herpes virus (CHV) and novel recombinant CHV genomes, and particularly to those CHV and CHV genomes that contain heterologous nucleic acid molecules. The present invention also relates to the use of such genomes and viruses in a variety of applications, including as therapeutic compositions to protect animals from disease. The present invention also relates to novel isolated CHV nucleic acid molecules, to CHV proteins encoded by such nucleic acid molecules, and to antibodies raised against such CHV proteins as well as to the use of such CHV nucleic acid molecules, proteins and antibodies as therapeutic compositions to protect an animal from CHV. The present invention also includes constructs comprising CHV nucleic acid molecules that include heterologous nucleic acid molecules, to recombinant vectors including such constructs, and to the use of such constructs and vectors in the production of recombinant CHV and recombinant CHV genomes.

1. An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence that is at least about 90% identical to SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:24 or SEQ ID NO:67, wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes a herpesvirus (CHV) alpha transducing factor capable of increasing CHV plaque forming efficiency. 
     
     
       2. The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , comprises nCUL48 1269 . 
     
     
       3. The isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleic acid sequence at least about 90% identical to SEQ ID NO:67. 
     
     
       4. An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:24 or SEQ ID NO:67, wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes a CHV alpha transducing factor capable of increasing CHV plaque forming efficiency. 
     
     
       5. The isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:24. 
     
     
       6. The isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:67. 
     
     
       7. The isolated molecule of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21. 
     
     
       8. An canine cell line comprising the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       9. The cell line of  claim 8 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is operatively linked to a transcription control region. 
     
     
       10. The cell line of  claim 8 , wherein said cell line is selected from the group consisting of MDCK cells, A72 cells, D17 cells, and CF2Th cells. 
     
     
       11. The cell line of  claim 8 , wherein said cell line is resistant to antibiotic G418. 
     
     
       12. A method to produce the canine cell line of  claim 8 , said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) obtaining a recombinant plasmid, said plasmid comprising a the isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1  molecule operatively linked to a eukaryotic transcription control region, said plasmid further comprising an antibiotic resistance gene operatively linked to a eukaryotic transcription control region; 
 (b) transfecting a canine cell line with said recombinant plasmid; 
 (c) culturing the transfected cells in a culture medium comprising an antibiotic corresponding to the resistance gene carried by said recombinant plasmid; and 
 (d) selecting cloned antibiotic-resistant cell lines. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  wherein said canine cell line is selected from the group consisting of MDCK cells, A72 cells, D17 cells, and CF2Th cells. 
     
     
       14. A recombinant plasmid comprising the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1  operatively linked to a transcription control region. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein said antibiotic is G418. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises nCUL48 1269 . 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is nCUL48 1269 .